Russian LNG and the Arctic Silk Road: China Inherits the Energy Denied to Europe

Here's how the Volkhov-Murmansk pipeline will redefine Beijing's energy dependence

The news of Gazprom's launch of the Volkhov-Murmansk gas pipeline, announced on October 9, 2025, is an operation that has China as its strategic beneficiary and essential partner. This massive project marks a turning point in Russia's strategy to transform surplus gas—previously destined for Europe—into Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), directing almost all of these exports to Asian markets, with Beijing as the main buyer.

The pipeline, with a capacity of 40 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/a) and a length of over 800 km, will run from Lake Ladoga, near St. Petersburg, through Karelia to the Kola Peninsula. Its destination is Belokamenka, near Murmansk, a key strategic area. The primary objective is to supply Novatek's vital Murmansk LNG plant, with a direct order from President Vladimir Putin to accelerate completion by 2030.

The Volkhov-Murmansk project translates into a clear strategic advantage for China, a voracious consumer of Russian natural gas and LNG, which sees its energy security and geopolitical influence strengthened.

Map of the new Russian Volkhov-Murmansk gas pipeline, which will supply raw materials to Novatek's Murmansk LNG plant and to the gasification of the Murmansk region.

The Russian Arctic and Chinese Strategic Interest

For China, the success of LNG projects in the Arctic is crucial and would not be possible without Chinese support:

• Arctic Supply Guarantee: China is a vital buyer. The Volkhov-Murmansk project is intended to support the volume of LNG that will come out of the Arctic, up to 80% of which will flow to Asia. This makes the plant, and consequently the pipeline, indispensable for China's energy security.

• Resolution of Sanctions. China has bridged Russia's technological gap: in 2023, Harbin Guanghan Gas Turbine Company, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, supplied the gas turbines crucial to completing the Arctic LNG 2 floating platform, a project that, logistically speaking, has its construction center in Murmansk. China's intervention saved the project from being blocked.

• Logistical and Geopolitical Advantage: LNG exports from Murmansk will use the Northern Sea Route (NSR). This maritime route offers China a shorter route that is less vulnerable to geopolitical blockades. By purchasing Russian energy and providing essential technological support, China is strengthening its strategic partnership with Moscow, which is essential for Beijing's energy security and for strengthening its influence in the Arctic.

Details of the Russian Project

The Volkhov-Murmansk gas pipeline is a complex operation involving internal Russian reorganization:

• Gas Destination: Approximately 75% of the pipeline's capacity will be reserved for the new Murmansk LNG plant project, while the remaining 25% will be used for the gasification of cities and settlements in the Karelia and Murmansk regions. The goal is to develop the gas transportation network in the northwestern regions of Russia.

• Energy Independence: The new gas pipeline and LNG plant will be powered by excess energy from the Kola nuclear power plant, a solution that allows Russia to avoid dependence on Western gas turbines, which are subject to sanctions.

• Military Role of Murmansk: The city is not only an energy hub, but also home to the Northern Fleet, the main naval unit of the Russian Navy, and the Belokamenka dry docks will also be used for military purposes.

In summary, the Volkhov-Murmansk gas pipeline is not just a Russian logistics project, but an energy reorganization operation that seals the interdependence between Russia and China, with the latter securing a dominant role in the future of Arctic LNG. However, this strengthened link is not without risks for Beijing, which, while gaining stability and geopolitical advantages, also exposes itself to strategic dependence on an increasingly isolated and militarized partner on its vital northern border.